Elevating  the  Status  of  AgricultureBy Nada Khader

Who are the most important people in our lives? Ourchildren, our spouses, our firefighters, our teachers?What about our farmers? They are among the mostimportant people in our lives and yet our current socio-economic system treats them so poorly. They areamong the most exploited workers on our planet today.

The founder of PROUT or Progressive UtilizationTheory, Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, has stated that partof the solution to regaining the balance in our eco-nomic system is to elevate the status of agriculture tothat of manufacturing and industry. According toPROUT, around thirty percent of the population of aregion should be employed in agriculture, anotherthirty percent in agriculture-related industry (canning,pickling, teas, plant medicine etc), thirty percent in in-

July  2015

INSIDE:  Who  Will  Lead  Us?

Cooperative  LeadershipInspirational  Kurd  Women

Continued on page 8 Continued on page 10

Cooperatives  in  the  New  EconomyBy Howard Nemon

In November of 2013, Fagor Electrodomésticos, oneof the largest producers of appliances in Europe anda flagship enterprise for the Mondragon federation ofcooperatives, filed for bankruptcy. In spite of the mas-sive infusion of capital from Mondragon to save it,Fagor was unable to survive the global financial crisisthat plagued Spain and other European countrieswhere the company operated. The closure of its oper-ations affected 5,700 workers and sent shock wavesthrough the global com-munity that supports anddevelops cooperatives.After all, Mondragon wasone of the largest andmost successful coopera-tive models in the world,comprising over 110 indi-vidual cooperatives andwith $35 billion in assets.

Questions were asked. Should cooperatives be ableto fail, just like any company competing in the mar-ketplace? Do they require special protections ortreatment? Should we have greater expectations for

Women  Proutists  of  

North  America

R i s i n g   S un

Supporting localagriculture: WESPAC membersvolunteering at theStony Point Farmin RocklandCounty, New York.

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President  Jimmy  Carter’sClarion  Call  to  Women:Who  Will  Lead  Us?By Mirra Price

“Lord, we ain’t what we want to be.We ain’t what we ought to be.We ain’t what we gonna be.

But, thank God, we ain’t what we was.”

(African-American preacher on race relations as quotedin Martin Luther King, Jr.1959 Speech).

Over in Georgia, next to my state of North Carolina, for-mer President Jimmy Carter and Rosalyn Carter, directa foundation, The Carter Center, which is dedicated toadvocating for human rights. Since his presidency,Carter has received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 andhas tirelessly championed many worthwhile causes.He, courageously, left his church in 2000, due to its un-equal, oppressive policy toward women.

In a HuffPost Live interview on Jan. 13, 2015 Cartersaid, "I think the worst human rights abuse on Earth isthe horrible persecution and deprivation of equal rightsof women…,” Carter’s book, A Call to Action: Women,Religion, Violence and Power, published in 2014, "de-scribes the horrendous abuse that women do suffer inthis country and around the world," he told HuffPostLive. Jan. 13, 2015 interview here.

In this interview Carter mentioned the trafficking ofyoung women and girls as an unprecedented and un-addressed human rights abuse and the escalation ofsexual assault on college campuses and in the militaryas among the worst human rights abuses facingwomen. He also discussed the wage gap between menand women (77 % women-men) in this country and thelow percentage (18%) of women in Congress. Carterhas launched the Mobilizing Faith for Women and GirlsInitiative, which hosts an annual forum of world politicaland religious leaders to promote the protection of equalrights for women and girls across the globe. Mar., 2014Interview.

President Carter inspires me with his stand up valuesand clear, astute analysis of the condition of women inthis country and around the world. Carter's enlightenedstand for women is in distinct contrast to the backlashagainst women in congress. Conservative legislatorsare pushing to cut funding for women's health care andare even proposing laws that make some forms of birth

control illegal. The Blunt Amendment, narrowly rejectedin the Senate, would have allowed employers to with-hold health insurance coverage not only for contracep-tion, but for any treatment of which they disapproved.http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-sci-ence/birth-control-exemption-bill-the-blunt-amendment-killed-in-senate/2012/03/01/gIQA4tXjkR_story.html

When I consider who might be a choice of consciencefor the next U. S. President, I cannot help but wish itwere possible to elect someone just like former Presi-dent Carter. Probably, his hands would be tied in get-ting human rights legislation passed; however, ifanyone could cut through the corruption, lobbying, andvested interests in our capitalist bureaucracy, it wouldbe someone with the moral fiber of Jimmy Carter.Sadly, Congresswoman Elizabeth Warren has chosennot to run for President, possibly not wishing to opposeanother woman, Hillary Clinton.

P. R. Sarkar, Prout’s founder, admonished us not tochoose between two evils when voting for political can-didates, rather to vote for a moral choice. So who tovote for? Whoever can amass the millions of dollarsneeded to buy a presidency, must, necessarily, be be-holden to the Superpacs and multinational corporationswho run our country. Though I would love to see awoman president, I am skeptical about Hilary Clinton’sFoundation campaign contributions from Saudi Arabiaand other far eastern countries. While Bernie Sanderssupports many populist causes and is drawing hugecrowds on the campaign trail, I wonder if he can navi-gate a clear path around the Washington elite(Truthdig, May 5th, 2015).

What we really need are leaders who serve the inter-ests of the people and in an entirely new system—Prout. How long must humanity wait for Prout?

Mirra Price, a retired English teacher, currently is awriter, editor and copyeditor. An activist and Proutist,she has worked in cooperatives, for many social justicecauses, and has advocated for women’s rights andgender equality since the 1960s.

Come  see  our  website:www.proutwomen.org

Or  Facebook  us  at:Women  Proutists  of  North  America

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Rising  SunJuly  2015

© 2015 All rights reserved by WomenProutists of North America

Editor—Mirra PriceDesign—Jody Wright

Contributors— Didi Ananda Candrasekhara,Dada Maheshvarananda, Dr. HowardNemon, Nada Khader, Satya Tanner, Dr.Fred Foldvary, Roar Bjonnes, Liila Hass,Liina Laufer, Nina Shapiro, Jyoti Wind, andJiivadhara.

Email: womenproutists@gmail.comWebsite: www.proutwomen.org

What  is  Prout?  PROUT is an acronym for the Progressive Uti-lization Theory which was propounded in 1959by Indian philosopher Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar.PROUT presents a viable alternative to the out-moded capitalist and communist socio-eco-nomic models. Neither of these theories hasadequately met the needs of humanity.

Proutists are seeking to convey the compre-hensive and visionary goals of PROUT theory,which combines the wisdom of spirituality, thestruggle for self reliance and the spirit of eco-nomic democracy. As women who areProutists, in this magazine, we are attemptingto focus on the particular struggles thatwomen face in attaining self reliance in soci-ety. However, we also wish to present thecomplete vision of Prout as a new ideology fora new world.

Toward the goal of being inclusive, we inviteProutists and others who are interested inproviding a platform for social change to sub-mit articles, letters to the editor, poetry, blogs,and other writings to Rising Sun. We want totake the pulse of the 99 percent and to try toreflect in some small way the voice of thepeople.

Key Principles of PROUT and Neo-Humanism:Neo-humanism expands the humanistic love for all human beings to include love and respect for all creation - plants, animals and even inanimate objects. Neo-humanism provides a theoretical base for creatinga new era of ecological balance and planetary kinship.Basic necessities guaranteed to all: In order to be ableto actualize their highest aspirations, people need to havetheir basic needs met. Access to food, shelter, clothing,education and medical are fundamental human rightswhich must be guaranteed to all.Balanced economy: Prout advocates regional self-re-liance, cooperatively owned and managed businesses,local control of large scale key industries, and limits onthe individual accumulation of wealth.Women’s Rights: Prout encourages the struggleagainst all forms of violence and exploitation used tosuppress women. Prout’s goal is coordinated coopera-tion, with equal rights between men and women.Cultural Diversity: In the spirit of universal fellowship,Prout encourages the protection and cultivation of localculture, language, history and tradition.World Government: Prout supports the creation ofworld government with a global constitution and com-mon penal code.

Now  Available:End  Unemployment  NowProutist Economist Dr. Ravi Batra’s latest book, EndUnemployment Now, is receiving rave reviews and ison its way to becoming another bestseller. According tothe Publishers Weekly review, “In this important book,Southern Methodist University economics professorBatra offers practicable solutionsto many of the economic prob-lems plaguing America.” In theKirkus review of the book isstated, “…the author offers amacroeconomic look at thecauses of joblessness and in-come inequality.”

Dr. Batra will be signing his bookat Malaprops Bookstore inAsheville, North Carolina, Satur-day, July 11th, along with theGlobal Gurukul Conference,which begins on the next day.

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Women  Proutist  Profile

Didi  Ananda  CandrasekharaMy first experience with Progressive Utilization Theory(Prout) was in 1983 or 84. I became an acarya (medi-tation teacher or ‘one who teachers by example’), alsocalled a didi (sister) or dada (brother) in 1979. My firstposting was in Jamalpur, India, for one year. I wastrainer of the Varanasi Training Center for the sisters’training center. I was there for two years—1981-83. In1984 and 85 I was Girls’ Prout (GP) Secretary. In1986-89 I was Central Women’s Welfare Secretary(CWWS) in India. I went to Georgetown Sector (GT)as Sectorial Women’s WelfareSecretary (SWWS) in 1990-92.From 1993-98 I was SWWS inManilla Sector, then SWWSfrom 2000-14 in Nairobi Sector. I came here in December, 2014,and am now GP, or WomenProutists’ Sectorial Secretary, asit is called in New York Sector.

In 1974 when I was 14, one ofour school teachers told usabout Shrii Shrii Anandamurti’s(Baba’s) life story. In 1954 Babahad started Ananda Marga(Path of Bliss) in India, a socio-spiritual organizationpromoting neohumanism, which was banned at thattime and Baba was in jail. I insisted my teacher giveme some of Baba’s books. My family didn’t like my in-volvement with Ananda Marga, so I had to hide thebooks that I was studying. I was ready to learn medi-tation, but all the didis and dadas were in jail in 1974and 1975, due to the Emergency imposed by IndianPrime Minister, Indira Gandhi, who had bannedAnanda Marga, as one of the groups that challengedsome of her policies. [Baba was outspoken againstthe caste system, the dowry system and the practiceof sati in which women threw themselves on their hus-bands’ funeral pyre.] I went to Patna to see Baba with-out learning meditation. I didn’t get a chance to seeBaba. I learned meditation in 1977, and became a didiin 1979. After all the dadas and didis got released, Iwas able to learn meditation, but I had known AnandaMarga since 1975.

My first Dharma Maha Cakra (DMC), a huge collectivemeditation in which the guru speaks and gives bless-

ings, was in 1978. When Baba was giving a mudra(special gesture infused with spiritual energy), I didn’tknow what was happening. Some light came to me inmy anahata chakra (heart chakra). I started crying somuch. The margiis from our area wanted to go home,but I was blessed by Baba and didn’t want to go. Thenext year I became a didi.

When I was GP Secretary, we did one big demonstra-tion—Sarva samaj mahila samamita (sisters’ orwomen’s samaj, or collective advocacy group.) We dida big procession in 1985. That was the first time Babasaid that 1000 women will come, but, 1500 womencame from all over Delhi. We made a video, but itwasn’t kept. We protested in October, 1985, in Delhiabout women’s rights, girls not getting proper educa-tion, rapes, and the dowry system.

We constructed a GP building in Tiljala when I wasthere at Central Office 1984- 85. At firstthey built one building, then two build-ings together. Many GP sisters anddidis (Didi Ananda Muktribrata, DidiAnanda Usa, Didi Ananda Tapati)helped in getting funds for these build-ings.

The first thing I want to do in New YorkSector is to initiate more sisters and in-spire them to be close to Baba. Thesecond thing I want to do, because Iam GP, I need to know more about thesocial problems. Mostly Baba said weneed to focus on women’s education—like the publishing of magazines andnewspapers. [After a hiatus of a few

years, WP has started publishing Rising Sun, whichhad formerly been an internal newsletter, as a publicnewsletter since winter, 2010. (Ed.)]

Women’s economic independence is also important,like establishing cottage industries so women canmake arts and crafts in their homes. In Africa womenare selling fruit and vegetables on the street and inmarkets. Since we are in a developed country, weneed to figure out what items would work to sell andcreate commerce projects. We could get goods fromIndia to sell.

We need to create regular leadership training forwomen and to bring all the women together. Startingconsciousness raising groups in which women can getto know one another and share their problems andlearn to solve them together in a united way.

I am happy to be in this sector, and look forward tomeeting and working with the dynamic sisters of NewYork Sector.

Cooperative  LeadershipA regular column by Satya Tanner

Do  you  treat  people  differently  or  the  same?  One of the challenges I faced when coming to understand issuesof prejudice was: Where is the line between the individual andthe group? When I was studying engineering, the other womenand I didn’t like to be singled out from the men. Instead wewanted to be treated ‘just like everybody else’, but at the sametime would attend ‘women in engineering’ events. So, is thishypocrisy? Where is the line? This then begs the question, asleaders, how do we treat others when diversity is at play?

The secret to answering a question like this lies with evaluatingthe underlying power structures, i.e.: Who has influence overwhom, directly or indirectly? At the most basic level, we all wantto be seen as individuals, without prejudice. I am a unique personwith a unique experience of the world. I have been influenced bymany different cultures (work, country, family, etc.) to varying ex-tents and don’t like leaders to decide what is best for me basedon stereotypes. I want a leader to give me choice and/or ask myopinion if they don’t know me well. At the same time, we are apart of groups that often sit within a privilege priority order and itis important to acknowledge where we and other people sit withinthat artificially constructed model of importance. These are twodistinct issues that are often mixed together.

For example, women are grossly under-represented in the engi-neering profession. This means that on a systemic level it makesperfect sense for leaders to advocate and promote 'women in en-gineering' events because they go a small way to help support

women continuing in the profession despite the obstacles. But atthe individual level, women and men have the right to be treatedas individuals without prejudice.

I remember having one university professor who was not used toteaching women and would get very flustered trying to make surethat he didn't get himself in trouble by saying the wrong thing infront of us. Of course that only made matters worse because wefelt singled out and would prefer that he simply saw us as humanbeings like everyone else in the room. Why would I be more of-fended because of my gender? If someone is being prejudiced,then that is ultimately a problem for everybody. The irony was thathis efforts to be more ‘gentlemanly’ made the situation feel like‘there are the engineers (i.e., men)’ and ‘there are the women (i.e.,not engineers). And hence the group privilege order revealed itself.

Therefore it is not hypocrisy to both want to be seen as an individ-ual and also reap the benefits of systems or events that rebalancethe power for disadvantaged groups. Good leaders know thatpeople want to be treated as human beings foremost, i.e., with thesame dignity and respect that we all deserve. At the same timepeople want to have their diversity and difference recognized assomething unique that they can bring to the table so that every-body can work together in coordinated cooperation. The equalitymovement ensures that systemic disadvantage takes care ofgroups; the diversity movement tries to ensure that we are re-spected for our individual diversity and uniqueness. Thus leaderscan navigate the tension between individuals and groups whenviewing the problem as two distinct issues.

Satya Tanner had a 16-year career as a pilotand aerospace engineer in the Royal AustralianAir Force, leading people and managing proj-ects. She has studied Prout at a post graduatelevel and has a passion for helping organiza-tions and communities that are in search of in-novation, leadership, healthy cultures andconscious business principles.

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This Changes Everything by Naomi Kleinbrought together concepts that I’ve long heldin my own mind as interwoven—planetary en-vironmental pollution brought on by capitalismand punctuated by racism. Her views are insync with PROUT, humanitarianly and eco-nomically. She writes in an engaging and di-rect manner and is not afraid to speak truth to

power and tell it like it is. Her account is from the perspective of awell-researched journalist; she’s really done the footwork; she hastravelled the world, attending global climate conferences as wellas in her home country Canada, with indigenous peoples affectedby economic hardship and environmental pollution.

Ms. Klein shares with us ways that first world peoples are some ofthe hardest hit by climate change and how some Native Peoplesare resisting climate destruction by defending treaties and sover-eignties granted to them long ago, and largely broken historically.By doing so they are creating precedents for resisting corporategreed and mass climate devastation. She tells us that the em-powered need to reach out to the disempowered and that whenwe all join together we can solve this climate crisis.

Non-Natives will have to become the treaty and land-sharing part-ners that our ancestors failed to be, making good on the fullpanoply of promises made… Because the only people who will betruly empowered to say no to dirty development over the longterm are people who see real, hopeful alternatives.

Klein offers hope for the future by sharing examples of grassrootsmovements as well as large scale efforts at change. The funda-mental basis for this world surviving the brink of destruction is aprofound values shift.

…only mass social movements can save us now, because weknow where the current system, left unchecked, is headed. Theonly remaining variable is whether some countervailing power willemerge to block the road, and simultaneously clear some alterna-tive pathways to destinations that are safer. If that happens, well,it changes everything.

And that variable, in my view, is PROUT and the time for it isNOW.

Review by Nina Shapiro.This Changes Everything, Naomi KleinSimon & Schuster 2014 ISBN 978-1-4516-9738-4

Book  Review:  This  Changes  Everything  by  Naomi  Klein

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Part Four in our serialization of this significantnew Prout book, Principles for a Balanced Econ-omy, which is based on Prout’s founder, P. R.Sarkar’s 1961 Ananda Sutram. We pick it up atthe beginning of Chapter Two.

Principles  for  a  Balanced  Economy:  

An  Introduction  to  theProgressive  UtilizationTheoryBy Roar Bjonnes

Chapter  Two:  Second  Principle“There should be maximumutilization and rational distri-bution of the crude, subtleand causal resources.”

IntroductionAs noted in the previouschapter, limits to the accumulation of wealth is an im-portant requisite for achieving an equitable distribu-tion of resources, but such restrictions by themselvescannot achieve this aim. While it is appropriate thatindividuals do not appropriate an unfair portion ofavailable wealth, it is equally important that society’swealth is transformed into sufficient goods and serv-ices. If not, living standards can never be increased.The second principle emphasizes that the key to ade-quate production is maximum utilization. Poor utiliza-tion results in inefficiency and wastage, whichcompromises a society’s ability to provide for its citi-zens and negatively impacts the environment. Ahealthy economy needs to continually strive to betterutilize its resources.

Second, these products must be distributed rationally.The transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich is in-creasing rapidly, within countries and between coun-tries and regions.

As  long  as  there  are  extreme  disparities  ofwealth  distribution,  communities—evenwhole  societies—will  be  left  behind.  

For reasons explained while discussing the first prin-ciple, this is not a rational way of distributing re-sources. A rational distribution within the context ofthis principle would entail:

1. Setting aside sufficient resources for investment infurther production, infrastructure, education, re-search, etc.

2. Providing for the minimum requirements of every-one by maximizing the production of essential goods.This will restore parity between production and con-sumption

3. Providing special amenities to people according tomerit once the economy has reached a state of dy-namic balance.

As  with  all  of  Prout’s  fundamental  princi-­‐ples,  the  second  principle  is  rooted  in  theidea  of  cosmic  inheritance—the  under-­‐standing  that  the  entire  universe  belongs  toall  beings  and  should  be  used  for  universal  welfare.

This does not mean the everyone owns everything,which is obviously unfeasible, nor does it imply col-lective ownership by the state: rather it signifies thatresources are to be utilized in a way that respects theneeds of each living being and considers this to beour birthright (hence the word ‘inheritance’). The firstprinciple takes a major step in this direction by pre-venting the misutilization of accumulated resourcesthrough limits on personal wealth. The second princi-ple strengthens its foundation even further by ex-plaining the proper way to utilize and share theseresources in an economic and environmentally re-sponsible manner.

Three  Types  of  ResourcesAs explained in the introduction, Prout asserts that acomprehensive economic system must consider thethree distinct dimensions of existence—physical,mental and physical. Hence economic activity in-volves the production, distribution and consumptionof resources in these three dimensions in order tosatisfy individual human needs on all three levels.The second principle of Prout refers to these re-sources in the external world as crude, subtle andcausal respectively. Crude resources refer to materialresources such as food, land, minerals and energy.Subtle resources refer to the ideas, concepts, ideasand realizations that exist in the mental dimension.They include our discoveries in physical, life and ap-plied sciences, which assist in transforming materialresources into products that sustain our physical ex-istence.

These  resources  also  encompass  our  evolv-­‐ing  knowledge  of  cultures,  esthetics,  social

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RecipeCornerA regular column by Liina Laufer

Enchilada Casserole

This is one of my mother’srecipes, a simple enchiladacasserole I ate growing upand make myself now. I real-ized that the American style“enchiladas” are completelydifferent than authentic Mexi-can enchiladas when I livedin Monterrey, Mexico. How-ever, both are delicious. Theenchilada casserole is a

great dish to make when you have some leftover rice, oldertortillas, beans and tomato sauce on hand.

Ingredients:• 4 cups well-cooked pinto or black beans, or a combinationof beans and rice• 3/4 teaspoon salt• 3/4 teaspoon cumin• 2 – 3 cups prepared tomato sauce (see recipe)• one dozen tortillas• 1/2 cups grated cheese

Instructions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Mix together beans, rice, and spice in a large bowl. Add someof the tomato sauce if they are too dry.Spread some of the sauce over the bottom of a casserole,baking pan, or cast iron skillet.Toast the tortillas individually for just a minute or two and re-move before they get crisp. Put about 1/3 cup of the beanmixture in each tortilla. Fold in half and line up in the casse-role dish. When all are filled, cover with tomato sauce, mak-ing sure to cover all of the tortillas to the edges of the dish.Cover with the grated cheese and bake for 30-45 minutesuntil bubbly and golden brown.

This casserole can be taken to potlucks if well wrapped, be-cause it keeps its heat well. Leftovers are excellent.

For extra spice, you can add chopped jalapeño or serranochilies, or replace some or all of the tomato sauce with salsa.You can also add bell peppers, celery, or other veggies. I liketo serve with some avocado on top. Enjoy!

Please see Liina’s blog at recipesdeliina.wordpress.com

systems  and  the  human  mind  itselfwhich  is  essential  for  meeting  oursocial  and  psychological  challenges.

At the upper boundary of the subtle dimen-sion lies a vast reservoir of intuitional knowl-edge that has enriched our civilization withinvaluable insights. Significant scientific dis-coveries, such as Mendeleev’s periodictable and Einstein’s theory of relativity, areoften attributed to both intellectual and intu-itive perceptions. Mendeleev’s discoverycame to him in a dream and Einstein attrib-uted one of his discoveries to a flash of in-sight. These mental resources have openedthe doors to new paradigms of understand-ing, products andmodes of production.

Roar Bjonnes is co-founder of the Prama In-stitute, a holistic retreatcenter in the Blue RidgeMountains of North Car-olina. He is a certifiedyoga health educator, apopular yoga columnistand a lecturer on yoga philosophy and his-tory. He has been a Proutist for severaldecades, giving Prout presentations in theU.S. and Europe.

Contact  Us!Online at: www.proutwomen.orgWomen Proutists of North AmericaPO Box 733Florence MA 01061Call us at: 828-274-1683Email:womenproutists@gmail.comFacebook: Women Proutists of North America

8

dustrial manufacturing and ten percent in services. In 1870,70-80 percent of the US population was employed in agricul-ture; as of 2008, less than two percent of the United Statespopulation is directly employed in agriculture (United StatesDepartment of Labor). Hence, Sarkar’s proposal wouldhave far reaching ramifications on our current food system,employment rates and standard of living. Agricultural work-ers that are respected, paid well and receive full labor pro-tections will be better able to take care of their families andwill be able to participate more fully in the local economy andsociety with living wages and adequate purchasing power.

In our current agricultural system, agro-corporations hire mi-grant labor to minimize their expenditures and very often en-gage in abusive labor practices that also place farm workersin dangerous working conditions, exposing them to pesti-cides and other toxins, skin and lung diseases, hearing loss,certain cancers and excessive sun exposure. As a result ofthe existing working conditions for farm workers, very fewAmericans are willing to undergo the risk of the work and aswell as the very poor levels of financial compensation. Farmowners each year hire hundreds of thousands of temporaryagricultural workers from South of the border to engage inback breaking work in poor working conditions. The Coali-tion of Immokalee Workers (tomato farm workers in Florida)has exposed and assisted in the prosecution of numerousmulti-state farm slavery operations across the SoutheasternUnited States, helping to free over a thousand agriculturalworkers that were being held against their will (http://ciw-on-line.org/slavery/).

In this context, there is currently a movement in the UnitedStates and beyond of young people rekindling interest in re-turning to the land, nurturing the soil, growing food and build-ing community. These young farmers are struggling veryhard to maintain their farms and livelihoods while competingwith agri-business that is able to produce cheap, conven-tional food at great cost to both our ecosystems and farmworkers. It is the responsibility of people with conscience toreach out to these independent small farmers and supportthem. We may need to prepare ourselves to pay a little morefor fresh local produce so that farmers can earn a livingwage. These relationships with local farmers have becomeinstitutionalized here in the U.S. with the CSA movement orCommunity Supported Agriculture. A CSA is a group of indi-viduals who have pledged to support one or more localfarms, with growers and consumers sharing the risks andbenefits of food production.

There are so many benefits to signing up with a CSA: sup-porting local farmers and not chemical intensive agri-busi-ness: nurturing top soil and habitat for bees and othercreatures, enjoying fresh, local produce with every meal;having our food travel a much shorter distance to get to usso we use less fossil fuels in food transportation, keepingdollars in our local economy and not funneling them to faraway corporate headquarters who have no interest in ourlocal economy and ecosystem, meeting like-minded people;sharing recipes and more. Perhaps the most important as-

pect of belonging to a CSA is developing an authentic rela-tionship with the people who grow the food that we eat andnourish our bodies and minds with. We visit our CSA farmersat their farms and learn about the challenges they are en-countering growing our food, including issues around climatechange, land ownership and labor. Sarkar always encour-aged us to know where our food comes from, and that in-cludes learning about all aspects regarding the conditions inwhich our food is grown and the people who dedicate them-selves to this purpose.

I live in Westchester County, New York. We are a county of930,000 people. If every family signed up with a local CSA,there would be an enormous demand for New York grownproduce and family farms would be able to thrive in such amarket. Such a trend would truly shift the numbers of peopleemployed in the agricultural sector from the less than twopercent currently upwards to the target level of twenty-fivepercent or more. The strong relationship with the farmerswould encourage adequate working conditions and compen-sation for the farmers. Local families do not want to supportabused and exploited farm workers. A summer volunteer dayat the farm also helps us to understand the labor of love in-volved in growing food and the delicate relationship we havewith the soil and the ecosystem.

Within the growing CSA movement is a growing conscious-ness about our responsibility in ensuring that fresh, local,high quality produce is accessible for all income levels, es-pecially the very low income communities. I am a memberof the Lineage Farm CSA here in the Hudson Valley and Iam very pleased to learn that the farmers have made a com-mitment to grow additional food for over fifty families in needin their locale. In order to provide that support, they needfamilies who can afford to pay more for their CSA share topay extra to help subsidize the cost of the free or low costshares. Access to healthy food is a very basic human rightthat our current socio-economic system does not address.

In short, there are various ways we can go about elevatingthe status of agriculture to that of industrial manufacturing.We can agitate for much better legislation that would allowagricultural workers to form a union and create worker safetystandards. These legislative changes are important in theshort term, but in and of themselves are not sufficient totransform our food and agricultural system into one consis-tent with PROUT values of regional self-sufficiency, localcontrol of local resources, full employment and a balancedeconomy. We need very large percentages of our local pop-ulation to make a commitment to purchase foods from localfarmers who have merged their interests with the interests ofour communities and in so doing become stewards ofmother earth for generations to come.

Nada Khader has been the execu-tive director of WESPAC Founda-tion, a peace and justice actionnetwork in Westchester County,New York, for the past 14 years –wespac.org. This article originallyappeared in the April, 2015 GlobalImpact newsletter and is used withpermission.

Elevating  the  Status  of  AgricultureContinued from front cover

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Women  Proutists  Create  Our  Vision  StoryWomen Proutists envision a future, twenty-five yearsfrom now, in which women and men are working togetherin coordinated cooperation on projects to eliminate in-equality regimes. Women Proutists have taken a leader-ship role in advancing social justice, economic equalityand education for women. Women have become thevanguard of society, promoting women as leaders so thewhole society will be more just for all.

We were catalysts, smoothing the way for the change thatneeded to happen. By pointing out disparities betweenmen and women and racial makeup of various organiza-tions, a movement for social justice got its own momen-tum. Women Proutists are playing a key role in bringingtogether networks that are working for greater social andeconomic equality. Women Proutists have transformedfrom being baby birds to mature birds, flying in conjunctionwith men in bringing about a new economy based onPROUT principles.

Around the world, women have begun to take on moreleadership roles. The multi-culturalism movement hasgiven rise to a larger network of interconnected samajas,e.g., socio-economic units based on common regional,cultural and economic interests. Mahila samaja (women’sinterest groups) plays a key role in this national and globalnetwork of samajas. Cooperatives have become widelyestablished within the samajas, becoming the base of thenew Prout economy, which has replaced capitalism.

Women Proutists have helped change the way womenare viewed in society, and women are no longer viewedas second-class citizens. Women are respected asequals and as partners in creating an egalitarian societybased on neohumanism in which all people have the op-portunity to achieve their true potentials and in workingfor the common good of all.

Movie  Review:  She’s  Beautiful  WhenShe’s  AngryBy Jyoti Wind

“She’s Beautiful WhenShe’s Angry” is a documen-tary of the feminist move-ment in America,1966-1971. From thefounding of The NationalOrganization for Women(NOW) to the Women’s Lib-eration Movement, we re-member that ‘a woman’s place was in the home’was still in play. Jobs (carpenters, welders, astro-nauts) were not open to our gender. The type-writer, waitress apron, nurse and mother were therule of the day.

This stirring film about women’s rise for equalityin all areas of life, and how they took to thestreets and halls of government, organizing asthey went, is a reminder of what was the situa-tion just 40 years ago. We also see the face ofthe women’s movement now. Excellent film!

Mission  StatementWomen PROUTists are working together to cre-ate a world in which all people have the opportu-nity to develop their full potential. We educate and organize our communities toresist oppression, exploitation and discrimina-tion. Women PROUTists support the all-roundphysical, economic, intellectual and spiritual de-velopment of women.

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businesses that offer ownership to all employees, op-erate in a more participatory, democratic, and trans-parent way, and divide profits more equitably? And ifsuch a mammoth cooperative empire fails to keep akey business afloat, what does this mean for cooper-ativism as a viable alternative to corporate capital-ism? Or even further, McLeod (2014) questions “…whether models such as Mondragon are adequate toaddress the world’s interwoven economic, ecologicaland social crisis.”

The questions stimulated by the Fagor bankruptcybring to light the different notions people have regard-ing the role of cooperatives in the economy. Somebelieve they merely represent a better businessmodel for capitalism while others see them playing apivotal role in the formation of an alternative eco-nomic framework. In the US, progressives who ana-lyzed Mondragon’s efforts to compete withmultinationals have realized that there are fundamen-tal limitations for developing the cooperative model inthe current global economy. They have initiated a na-tional conversation regarding the principles, values,and strategies of a new system capable of offeringreal solutions for today’s crises (seehttp://thenextsystem.org/). It is becoming increasinglyclear to them that reforms to the existing system areinadequate to resolve the serious social, economic,and environmental problems we face today.

These efforts to envision a new economic paradigmare indeed very significant for Proutists. It is not easy to promote a radically different systemlike Prout. The current debate regarding cooperativesis a good entry point for Prout into these discussions.After all, cooperative enterprises are central to theProut economy. Although Proutists encourage thecreation of cooperatives in the current economy, theyunderstand that the cooperative system will onlycome into its own under a full-fledged Prout econ-omy. So, as academics and activists begin to delveinto the core concepts and strategies for true sys-temic change, and how cooperatives will contribute tothis new economy, Prout is positioned to offer impor-tant insights into how a cooperative-based economymight be achieved.

Building  Blocks  for  a  Cooperative  Economy

Thus far, the full potential of cooperatives has notbeen attained because they are “swimming againstthe current” of a centralized, profit-based system,

dominated by transnational corporations. Also, theirscope, scale, and relationship with other elements ofthe economy have not been adequately defined. InProut, cooperatives play an important role, but onlyas far as they support the larger economic objectivesof consumption-based production, decentralizationand democratization of economic activity, and sus-tainable values. Below are four core elements ofProut that clarify the purpose and parameters of co-operatives:

1. From the Bottom UpThe majority of cooperatives in the world are local, orat least regional. Their member-owners typically livein the same area where the co-op operates, therebylocalizing ownership and helping to strengthen thelocal economy. That is why those who promote eco-nomic localization have taken up the cooperativebanner. Yet cooperatives may grow beyond their localborders or serve non-local demand.

Prout’s concept of economic decentralization institu-tionalizes local economy by creating small economicareas, or “blocks”∗, based on local physical features,socio-economic requirements and difficulties, andtheir physico-psychic aspirations (Sarkar, 1979). Eco-nomic planning boards, from the block level up to dis-trict, state, national and global levels would operatewith the primary objective of building self-sufficiencyfrom the bottom up.

Under this decentralized system, cooperatives wouldfirst be developed in each block to meet the basicneeds of the population. An immense multi-nationalcooperative like Mondragon would not be allowed tosuppress the development of blocks in any region orcountry. Prout prefers the creation of a larger numberof cooperatives closer to the source of raw materialsand production, allowing for better owner participa-tion, integration with local economic planning, andcommunity involvement.

2. Networks Going to ScaleAlthough the drive for “Buy Local” is attracting manyadherents, the reality is that localities import most oftheir goods from outside. Prout proposes to reachscale by increasing the density and comprehensive-ness of local networks. Through local (aka block-level) planning, extensive supply chains (networks ofbuyers and sellers) can be developed to meet localdemand. The function of these networks is not just toexist to deliver a product to a consumer, but rather torespond directly to the needs of the local population.

Cooperatives are the backbone of these consump-tion-based chains as they are anchored in the com-

Cooperatives  in  the  New  EconomyContinued from front cover

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munity and can operate at a scale necessary toachieve local self-sufficiency. The creation of net-worked producer, distributor, and consumer coopera-tives would be capable of large-scale production. Forexample, in Western North Carolina where produc-tion of natural fibers (cotton, wool, and alpaca) is onthe rise, a network of this kind could include fiber pro-ducers’ cooperatives to collectively market their rawmaterial, mill cooperatives to produce threads andfabrics, processing cooperatives to manufacture ap-parel and other textiles, distributor co-ops, and con-sumer co-ops to sell the products. The same can beset up for every major sector of the economy.

3. Three Sizes Fit BetterThere are basically three types of ownership in busi-ness: private, cooperative, and public. When theeconomy is controlled by large private interests, cen-tralization occurs, large economic disparities arise,markets fail, and consumers lose. Cooperative own-ership has been promoted as a solution to theseproblems. However, the economy is diverse, and co-ops may not be the answer for every type of eco-nomic activity. According to Prout, a three-tieredsystem is preferable—comprising small private busi-nesses, cooperatives, and large publicly-owned en-terprises (Sarkar, 1992). Cooperatives should handleall medium to large scale economic activity, espe-cially those related to essential commodities. Smallerprivate businesses are ideal to produce non-essentialitems at a scale too small or too complex for co-ops.These companies would also give individual entre-preneurs the opportunity to innovate and test newproducts and services. And key industries that aretoo large or too complex for cooperatives would berun by local governments, such as power and waterutilities.

4. Valuing an Economy for AllThere is an assumption that cooperatives naturallyare dedicated to the triple bottom line—social equity,economic growth, and environmental responsibility.True, all co-op members have equal status and thewage differentials are small so that profits are distrib-uted more equitably. However, cooperative owners re-flect the value system of a larger society afflicted byracism, sexism, and environmental disregard. JoséArizmendiarrieta, the Catholic priest who founded theMondragon cooperatives, saw his work as basicallyeducational with an economic component. It was anongoing education based on cooperative values.Prout has adopted a system of values called neohu-manism (Sarkar, 1989) to guide its cooperative devel-opment—in fact, all economic activity. This valuesystem expands human consciousness to grasp the

interconnectedness of all living beings and non-livingentities. Neohumanism cultivates love and respect inthe human mind which motivates economic players toestablish a truly sustainable economy for everyone.

As  we  grapple  today  with  an  economy  outof  control,  extremely  inequitable,  and  envi-­‐ronmentally  dangerous,  reasonable  voicesare  beginning  to  explore  what  a  better  sys-­‐tem  would  look  like.  Many  consider  cooper-­‐atives  as  an  important  part  of  the  solution,with  their  spirit  of  cooperation,  democracy,equity,  and  community.    Prout  explains  thatthe  potential  of  cooperatives  can  be  maxi-­‐mized  within  the  framework  of  larger  sys-­‐tem  transformation.  This  encompasses  astructured  economic  decentralization,  sec-­‐tor-­‐based  networking,  a  three-­‐tiered  econ-­‐omy,  and  a  neohumanist  value  system.

ReferencesMcleod, Andrew. (2014). Cooperative movementshould engage the government Cautiously, in Scalingup the Cooperative Movement, Davis, Josh et al. (eds.). Grassroots economic organ-izing, Web. 16 May 2015.Sarkar, P. R. (1979). Some specialities of Prout’seconomic system, in Prout in a nutshell, Vol. 3, Part 13 [a compilation]. Kolkata: A.M. PublicationsSarkar, P. R. (1989). Prout and neohumanism, inProut in a nutshell, Vol. 4, Part 17 [a compilation]. Kolkata: A.M. PublicationsSarkar, P. R. (1992). Prout economics. Kolkata: A.M.PublicationsDr. Howard Nemon is the director of the Center for LocalEconomies, an Asheville-based research and advocacy or-ganization that promotes local economy solutions. Thecenter focuses on strengthening community support forlocal economy, the development of local production hubs,and economic democratiza-tion through cooperatives. Hehas taught social policy, com-munity economic develop-ment, and internationalsustainable development atthe University of Pennsylva-nia, George Mason Univer-sity, and Warren WilsonCollege. He may be reachedat howard@local-economies.org

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ensure that the water stays within the root systems of thetrees, rather than running off quickly down the slopes.

Food security solutions include agro-forestry (planting andmaintaining trees that provide food as well as shade, shel-ter, both water and carbon storage and oxygen), reducingthe use of glyphosates (found especially in the chemical,Round Up), as these have been definitively linked to theloss of our pollinating bees, and avoiding monoculturessuch as only corn or soy. I also suggested a look at bal-ancing the economy. Currently in the U.S., a mere twopercent of the population derives its income from the agri-cultural sector, while 81 percent are involved in serviceand 17 percent in industry and manufacturing. This hashuge implications for food security; should blight, drought,insect plague or other unimagined events occur, then wemay have a tough time with food and water supplies. TheU. S. government claims to store two weeks’ worth ofgrains for its population, but others believe that the realamount is closer to three days’ worth. A solution to foodsecurity and withstanding environmental threats is to en-sure that more people enter the agricultural sector, therebybuilding wider diversity of crops, including drought- andplague-resistant species or crops that are nutrient-dense.

Other highlights of the conference included a panel on in-tentional communities, featuring Dada, who presented onMaster Units, as well as members of Yogaville, AcornCommunity Farm and Twin Oaks, all based in Virginia,Damanhur in Italy, and others. This was an inspiring forumthat included a look at structure and lifestyle questions, aswell as economic structure and social service. In a sepa-rate program, Dada gave a very inspiring presentation oncooperatives, which was well attended and well receivedby the audience.

Final highlights were the musical perform-ances by local members of the commu-nity, and the chance to network with manybold and inspiring leaders of the socialchange movement. I was very grateful to have had the opportunity to present onbehalf of the PROUT movement and I thank Mirra Price forthe amazing work she did to help make this all happen. Fi-nally, Clark Webb, a long-term PROUTist from Blacksburg,was a key player on the organizing committee and did anamazing job on behalf of PROUT to help make it all happen.Liila Hass is a Naturopath who is the founding director of FutureTasmania and a recent recipientof the Jan Lee Martin Scholar-ship, Melbourne UniversitySchool of Business Executive Education. She is agraduate of the TasmanianLeaders Program and hastrained with Al Gore as a climatechange activist.

Report:  Building  the  New  World  Conference  in  Radford,  VirginiaBy Liila Hass

I feel very fortunate to have been part of the “Building theNew World” conference held recently in Radford, Virginia.This conference is a legacy of the late long-term PROUTactivist Garda Ghista, and as such, the PROUT team paida moving tribute to her in the opening invocation. Gayatriiwas known for her unflinching devotion to PROUT, socialand economic justice and a better world for all; Dada Ma-heshvarananda was able to acknowledge her many contri-butions to social change. Dada also led the PROUT teamin the singing of “Samgachadvam”, in the spirit of “Let usMove Together”, which seemed fitting for the program.

Garda’s vision has been taken up fittingly by ProfessorGlen Martin, of Radford University, and the ReverendLaura George, of the Oracle Institute, in what proved to bea fabulous bringing together of thinkers and change mak-ers from all over the world.

This  year’s  conference  attracted  several  keyplayers  in  the  futures  and  social  changemovements,  including  Barbara  Marx  Hub-­‐bard,  futurist,  Phillip  Hellmich,  from  theShift  Movement,  Charles  Eisenstein,  authorof  Sacred  Economics,  and  many  others.    Thethemes  included  health  and  wellbeing,  eco-­‐nomics  and  business,  justice  and  gover-­‐nance  and  many  more.    

I had the opportunity to present in the “food, water & envi-ronment” theme, and as such, put forward a talk on waterconservation and food security (subtitled “Surviving andThriving in the Era of Climate Change”), based on theteachings of P.R Sarkar, founder of PROUT. I used infor-mation from Sarkar’s book, Ideal Farming, Part 2, and alsofrom the work of Al Gore’s The Climate Reality Project andother climate change and water networks.

The conference organizers had asked all presenters tofocus on what is possible and on positive solutions forbuilding a new world. As this is very much in keeping withPROUT’s objectives, I was able to present several con-crete solutions, which seemed much appreciated by theaudience.

Key solutions for water conservation include catching therain water where it falls, building shallow ponds, whichallow water to slowly refill the ground water supply, usingmud from already existing ponds, as a way to line the shal-low pools and prevent too much seepage of the water, andafforestation, as a way to attract the rainclouds and also

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Like a RevolutionBy Jyoti Wind

We sit with words…they dangle like participlesfrom the pen tipor computer key, poised to give meaningto the inner lifewe all live.

Six women in one meeting,five in another,we write our stories, our heart’s desires,our insights and knowings, like a revolutionquietly taking placeon the inside.We call ita writing group.

Artwork by Jiivadhara.

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• Attractive applicants have a better chance of getting jobs,and of receiving higher salaries. • Taller men earn on average $600 more per inch (2.5 cen-timeters) in the United States than shorter executives.• Judges find attractive people guilty of crimes less often,and if guilty, they receive shorter sentences.• Attractive kids are more popular in school with their class-mates. • Teachers give higher grades to the work of attractive stu-dents and have higher expectations of them, which in turnimproves their performance.

Understanding this tendency, which scientists point out ispart of our evolutionary history, is crucial for overcoming bias.

The world needs quality education for all girls and womenthat includes: • Teaching women how to care for and strengthen their bod-ies, their minds and their spirits.• Learning the hidden history of women’s great contributionsto every aspect of society.• Seeing through the imposed veils of superstition and dog-mas.• Valuing diversity and viewing gender, racial and culturaldifferences among people as enhancements of our humanfamily.• Leadership training to achieve the necessary self-confi-dence and will to apply their talents and knowledge for thebenefit of society.

In the Neohumanist Education Conference in Porto Alegre,over 100 teachers brainstormed in small groups how we canhelp girls feel good about themselves. Suggestions in-cluded: • Using physical activities to relearn and appreciate one'sbody • Teaching dancing, singing and art.• Leading activities that deconstruct the social gender para-digm.• Explaining the theory of multiple intelligences (musical–rhythmic, visual–spatial, verbal–linguistic, logical–mathemat-ical, bodily–kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal,naturalistic, existential, etc.) to show that each person pos-sesses a unique blend of all of them; therefore we should re-spect and encourage each person's different abilities anddevelopment.• Deconstructing the appeals of the media through reflec-tion and questioning. For example, bring examples of veryold advertisements to compare with current ads. • Encouraging each one to manifest their innate talent fortheir own self-esteem and to inspire others as well.• Dialoging in order to understand why one is not well, andhelping to find a solution• Practicing yoga and meditation.• Encouraging healthy eating.• Telling stories with positive images of girls and women. • Realizing that all people are beautiful inside

• Leading reflection on feminine stereotypes and womenas objects in the media.• Laughing!• Valuing the different strengths and abilities of each per-son, remembering that no one is equal.• Valuing inner beauty, kindness and compassion.• Realizing that our culture is our strength, making eachperson proud of who they are.• Comparing society's unrealistic image of female beauty(extensive makeup, plastic surgery, Photoshop, exces-sively thin) vs. the real beauty inside each person.• Respecting diversity.

As  long  as  girls  and  women  remain  secondclass  citizens,  their  education  will  continue  tobe  second  class.  Therefore,  the  struggle  toend  women’s  social  and  political  oppressionand  inequality  must  go  hand-­‐in-­‐hand  with  ef-­‐forts  to  insure  gender  equity  in  education.  

ReferencesBrown, L. & Gilligan, C. (1992). Meeting at the Crossroads:Women’s Psychology and Girls’ Development, Cambridge: Har-vard University Press..Corbett, C., Hill, C., & St. Rose, A. (2008). Where the Girls Are:The Facts About Gender Equity in Education. Washington, DC:AAUW Educational Foundation.Fox, K. (1997, January 1). Motives: Why we look in the mirror.Retrieved March 31, 2015, from http://www.sirc.org/publik/mir-ror.html.Gillian, C. (1982). In a Different Voice. Cambridge: Harvard Uni-versity Press.How schools shortchange girls.(1992). AAUW Educational Foun-dation.UNICEF. Basic education and gender equality. (2014, July 14).Retrieved March 29, 2015, fromwww.unicef.org/education/bege_70640.html

Dada Maheshvarananda is a monk,activist, and writer. He is a followerand teacher of Tantra Yoga; his spiri-tual master is Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar(1922-1990). His latest book is AfterCapitalism: Economic Democracy inAction(Innerworld Publications,2012). He is the director of the ProutResearch Institute of Venezuela.

Mirra Price, a retired English teacher,currently is a writer, editor and copy-editor. An activist and Proutist, shehas worked in cooperatives, for manysocial justice causes, and has advo-cated for women’s rights and genderequality since the 1960s.

Gender  Equity  in  EducationContinued from page 16

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Kurd  Women:  An  Inspiring  Example  ofGender  Equality  in  a  Cooperative  EconomyBy Dr. Fred E. Foldvary

In the midst of the violence of the Middle East, a relativelyfree society has emerged, Rojava in northern Syria, by theborder with Turkey. Rojava, meaning “western,” also re-ferred to as Western Kurdistan, is a self-governing, mostlyKurdish region, with a population of 4.5 million. It declareditself autonomous in November, 2013, after control by thegovernment of Syria had collapsed. The capital is Qamishliin northeastern Syria. The territory includes Kobane, thecity in which there was fierce fighting with ISIS.

The region, established by the Democratic Union Partyand the Kurdish National Council, is not recognized as apolitical jurisdiction by the government of Syria, and thegovernment of Turkey has closed its border with Rojava fortrade in goods and for entry by journalists.

The Constitution of the Rojava Cantons declares that,“We, the people of the Democratic Autonomous Regions ofAfrin, Jazira and Kobane,” establish “a confederation ofKurds, Arabs, Syrics, Arameans, Turkmen, Armenians andChechens.”

The residents practice what they call “democratic confed-eralism.” Rojava is divided into cantons, like those ofSwitzerland. Most of the government’s services are pro-vided locally by the three cantons. In response to a culturewhere women are typically treated badly, in Rojava, femi-nism is valued, and community “peace committees” havereduced violence within and among families. Women haveformed a military force that helped rescue the Yazidi reli-gious minority.

The government of Rojava is the Kurdish Supreme Com-mittee. Its army is the People’s Protection Units. The publicrevenues of Rojava come mostly from selling oil. There areno taxes on wages, production, or goods. Local servicesare provided by cooperatives.

While some American and European Muslims are joiningthe violent extremists in the Middle East, others, not sopublicized, are helping the Rojava side. They are calledthe “Lions of Rojava.” Those who want to get involvedhave an ideological choice.

The situation is complicated by the Kurdistan Workers’Party in Turkey, or PKK, designated as a terrorist organiza-tion by the U.S. State Department. This party should workfor peaceful self-governance within Turkey. Peace be-tween the Kurds and the Turkish government would pro-mote a normal border between Turkey and Rojava. Until

then, the government of the United States should push onTurkey to open its border to Rojava for trade, journalism,and assistance.

The revolutionary ideology in Rojava was led by AbdullahÖcalan, who rejects the structure of today’s state govern-ments. Öcalan’s concept of Democratic Autonomy includesa bottom-up democracy, gender equality, environmentalpreservation, and a cooperative economy. The cantons op-erate under a “social contract” of self-governance based inneighborhood commune assemblies of several hundredhouseholds each, with women as equal participants.Power rises from the bottom up through elected deputiesto the city and cantonal levels.

The people of Rojava are fighting not only for their auton-omy, but also for their ideals of democracy and tolerance.The training of their military includes education about theirDemocratic Autonomy.

An academic group visited Rojava in December, 2014. Intheir statement of January 15, 2015, the group stated that“we, as a delegation of scholars from Europe, Turkey, andNorth America traveled to Rojava to learn more about theideals and practices of this revolution and to witness at firsthand, in one of its cantons, its claims to gender liberationand democratic self-government… In Rojava, we believe,genuinely democratic structures have indeed been estab-lished… Against all odds, the people of Rojava have ad-vanced a bold program for civic tolerance, genderliberation, and direct democracy. For this, they deserve theworld’s respect and its active support.”

Reference

http://roarmag.org/2015/01/statement-academic-delega-tion-rojava/

This article was used with permission from The ProgressReport http://www.progress.org, A Free Society Amidst theChaos of the Middle East, February 8, 2015

Fred E. Foldvary, Ph.D., is an econo-mist who has been writing weekly edi-torials for Progress.org since 1997. Hereceived his B.A. in economics fromthe University of California at Berke-ley, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in eco-nomics from George MasonUniversity. He has taught economicsat Virginia Tech, John F. Kennedy Uni-versity, Santa Clara University, andcurrently teaches at San Jose StateUniversity. Foldvary is the author ofThe Soul of Liberty, Public Goods and Private Communities, andDictionary of Free Market Economics. He edited and contributedto Beyond Neoclassical Economics and, with Dan Klein, TheHalf-Life of Policy Rationales.Foldvary is known for going onrecord in the American Journal of Economics and Sociology in1997 to predict the exact timing of the 2008 economic depres-sion—eleven years before the event occurred. He was able to do so due to his extensive knowledge of the real-estate cycle.

tion in their education. Social issues such as teen preg-nancy, one-parent households, having to help care for sib-lings, ever-increasing alcohol and drug use, and healthproblems, are all significant factors which may severelylessen the quality of education for girls, especially in publicschools, which have limited resources and are sometimesin crime-ridden urban neighborhoods (AAUW, 1992 ) .

In a landmark longitudinal study, Harvard psychology pro-fessors Lyn Mikel Brown and Carol Gilligan followed the

stories of 100 adolescentgirls for five years. Theyfound that when young girlsin the United States reachadolescence, they start toreceive contradictory expec-tations from parents, teach-ers, peers, the media, andthemselves. Girls strugglewith these conflicting mes-sages, trying to figure outhow to act, when to speakup, and who to please intheir everyday lives. Thereare strong pressures fromsociety for them to be beau-tiful, likable, passive andself-sacrificing. Many ado-lescents respond by fallinginto silence and disconnec-tion from society (Brown,1992).

Adolescent girls feel enor-mous pressure to attain unrealistic standards of beauty.Girls who do not fit this artificial standard of beauty facemore obstacles than those who come closer to attaining it.Studies demonstrate that attractive people have distinctadvantages in our society:

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Contact  Us!Online at: www.proutwomen.orgWomen Proutists of North AmericaPO Box 733Northampton MA 01061Call us at: 828-274-1683Email: womenproutists@gmail.comFacebook: Women Proutists of North America

By Dada Maheshvarananda and Mirra Price

This article originally appeared in the May, 2015Gurukul magazine.

The mass media and advertising bombard us from a veryyoung age that the value of women depends on how beau-tiful, thin and sexy they look; that buying the right clothesand beauty products is a key to success in life. A HarvardUniversity study shows that 8 out of 10 U.S. women areunhappy with their physical ap-pearance, and that only fivepercent are even capable ofreaching the current idealshape (Fox, 1997). The resultof this mass hypnosis is eatingdisorders, low self-esteem anddepression that plague manywomen who are unable toachieve that elusive commer-cial image of beauty.

The youngest person ever toreceive the Nobel Peace Prizewas Malala Yousafzai at age17 in 2014 for her courageouscampaign for girls' education.According to a 2012 UNICEFstudy, an estimated 31 milliongirls of primary school age and34 million girls of lower second-ary school age were not en-rolled in school in 2011, withSub-Saharan Africa having thelowest percentage of gender parity (UNICEF, 2012).

Barriers to girls’ education in economically impoverishedcountries include school fees, strong cultural norms favor-ing boys’ education when a family has limited resources,lack of private separate bathrooms, negative classroomenvironments where girls may face violence, exploitationor corporal punishment. Additionally, schools in the so-called Third World often lack sufficient numbers of femaleteachers because men are given preference in awardingsalaried teaching jobs. (UNICEF, 2012). Improving girls’access to education helps end the poverty cycle, creatinga ripple effect, which will influence coming generations.

In Western countries, girls’ access to education is roughlyon a par with boys. However, social conditions persistwhich may negatively impact the educational climate inclassrooms. In a 1992 American Association of UniversityWomen study, “How Schools Shortchange Girls”, findingsincluded that in the United States, girls received less atten-tion than boys in classrooms and were less represented inmath than boys. There has been a decided rise in bullyingand violence, which often prevents girls from full participa-

Gender  Equity  in  Education

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